CONCLUSIONES Y RECOMENDACIONES

Participants suggested that there was a power play between the members of the selection committees during the selection of school leaders. Sphume stated that: “the principal told the

selection committee (scorers) to score the highest marks for a certain candidate because she was serving at the school”. The principal used her position to exercise power. Foucault (1991)

recognises power as something that is not just negative, coercive or repressive that forces us to do; power is everywhere. Power also transcends politics and power is an everyday, socialised and embodied phenomenon (Foucault, 1991). There is also a power struggle in the selection processes. Power in this study refers to the decisions made by selection committee members, based on legality or based on personal vendetta (Morgenthau & Nations, 1948).

Phumlani experienced power play by a DoE official. She said, “two years ago when I applied

for HOD, the district manager called me and requested an amount of R8 000. He said, it’s a procedure in his district that if the teacher is coming from another district he/she must pay R 8 000”. In this case, the district manager acted Ultra-virus, which means he acted more than

the powers given to him. He misused his powers and position to influence the teacher in the selection process.

The role of the principal and chairperson of the selection committee puts him/her in a position to possess power to influence the members to influence the process. Their roles may give them the power to control and direct the selection process towards their personal interests. The portfolios or powers vested in them they tend to be used in a negative way, influencing other members of the selection committee (Kombe et al., 2014).

Thokozile stated: “as a union rep. I used my power to make the process favour my comrade. I

have to gain the trust of selection committee members, pretend as if you are guiding them while you are leading them to do what you want or what will be best for your comrade.” Frank

supported, “…. In my opinion, the person who got the position did not deserve it. He didn’t

have any experience in management and he was coming from post level one and was supported fully by his union and also by other selection committee members”.

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The union representative in the selection committee was a teacher, but a teacher who had extra powers delegated by a teacher union. This explains why union representative as a teacher in the selection process also forms part of my study, and their experiences in the selection process is valued and considered relevant to the research.

Phumlani stated that power was being unlawfully used by members of the selection committee. “The first experience (in township school), it was an HOD selection process. The chairperson

told us as selection committee how should we do the scoring e.g. he was exactly telling us how many points must we give each teacher”.

In school D, power play was used by the chairperson when he used his power to instruct the selection committee. In school C, the principal also abused his powers when she was forming the selection committee. Such practices are experienced by teachers in the selection processes of school leaders. The irony is that teachers are not doing anything about it. Nobody wants to come forward and report such conduct to the authorities (Mkhize, 2012).

The following quotation reveals that there is a person controlling the selection processes of school leaders, powered to direct the selection committee, and that person is respected and they listen to his/her instructions. Baza observed that “the selection committee was told about how

to score for each candidate…..they implicate the school management. Teachers are supposed to select or elect the right candidate, but they don’t have powers to do so……. unions are crippling the selection processes …...”. Powerful people are more focused on the goals

appropriate in a given situation. They make the first move to lead negotiations (Gaventa, 2003).

Simpson, Clegg and Freeder (2013) note that the members of the selection committee take the risk of making inappropriate and unethical decisions. The risk they take is that, if processes are not conducted appropriately, the person involved can be charged with serious misconduct which can lead to suspension from any other matters related to selection processes. Ramokgotswa (2016) states that the increase of power from teacher unions who seek to protect and promote teachers’ interest has brought a dramatic change in the education system. The interference of teacher unions as the political affiliates also bring politics in the processes of selecting the school leaders.

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This theme influence of power is another key contributing factor experienced by the majority of teachers in the selection processes of school leaders. Power play is difficult to prove in a court of law but you can feel and see the power being used in favour or against the teacher as a candidate (Jones, 2010). The SGB enforces the selection of principals who are members of a political organisation which is dominating in that society. When members of the SGB are selected, they are also selected based on their political affiliations (Foucault, 1991).

Teachers who do not get involved themselves in politics never get selected if they are not openly favouring the dominant political organisation. Most schools nowadays are led by leaders (principals) who have a position in community political structures. Participants observed the abuse of power in the selection processes, especially by the principals and chairpersons of SGBs.